Shell-fuse.



IQATENTED JUNE 21,1904.

0.- P. WATSON. SHELL FUSE. APPLICATION FILED DEO.2-1,1903.

N0 MODEL,

M in a U M 3 witneaoea THE NORRIS PETERS c NIITE STATES Patented June 21, 1904.

ATENT Orrica.

SHELL-FUSE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 763,230, dated June 21, 1904.

Application filed December 21 1903. Serial No. 185,932. (No inodel.) I

To all wit/m2, zit may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. WATSON, a

citizen of the United States, residing at York,

in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shell-Fuses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to percussion-fuses for explosive shells; and it has for its principal object to provide for the escape of the air from the rear of the hammer or plunger as said hammer or plunger sets back to the front thereof and from the front to the rear of the hammer or plunger when projected forward, thus providing against any possible cushioning oifeot of the air when the hammer or plunger is caused to move by shock in firing or by impact, and the consequent sticking or hanging of said hammer or plunger, as is the casewith the hammers or plungers of the ordinary construction.

With this object in view, and other objects which will become apparent upon a further disclosure of the invention, the invention consists, essentially, in providing certain novel means by which the air is forced from. the rear to the front of the hammer or'plunger, and vice versa, as will be hereinafter fully described in this specification and briefly stated in the claims thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a shell-fuse provided with -my improvements; Fig. 2, a side plan view of a hammer, showing one form of means for permitting the escape of the air; Fig.3, a transverse sectional View of the stock, showing the hammer shown in Fig. 2 seated therein'; Fig. 4:, a side plan view of a hammer, showing another form of means for permitting the air to escape; Fig. 5, a transverse sectional view of the stock, showing the hammer shown in Fig. 4 seated therein; Fig. 6, a perspective view of the hammer, showing still another form of means for the escape of the air; Fig. 7, a longitudinal sectional view of the stoek. showing other means forthe escape of the air; Fig. 8, a transverse sectional -view of the same, showing a hammer seated therein; Fig, 9, a plan view of the inner face of the cap-carrying plug, showing the wings pivoted thereon and 1n normal or closed position; and Fig. 10, a plan view of the reduced end portion of the hammer, showing the locking-seat therein. v

Referring to the several views, the letter a indicates a stock of usualconstruction, being externally screw-threaded and provided with v a flanged head 7). The stock is provided with a hammer-chamber c and a priming-chamber (l. A portion of the inner wall of the priming-chamber is screw-threaded to receive a screw-threaded plug 0, carrying a detonating- 5 cap f, said detonating-cap being provided with a firing channel or hole g, communicating with the priming-chamber d. The inner end of the plug a is counterbored, and pivoted in said counterbored end are two wings or 7 jaws 72, having their free ends normally held together by a spring 0, the spring being attached to the respective wings at such a point distant from their pivots so that said wings will readily separate under the force of cen- 't'rifugal action developed by the rapid rota-' tion of the shell during its flight.

The outer fuse of each wing is provided with a locking segmental lug n n, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained, 30

Loosely seated in the chamber 0 is' a hammer k, having a reduced end portion 1%., provided With a firing-pin m. The outer surface of the hammer is provided with a plurality of longitudinal corrugations or grooves 5 p, which form air channels or passages between the front and rear ends of the hammer. The hammer m is provided with a circular groove or seat m in which the locking-segments'w' are seated to lock the win s against 9 back against the pressure of the spring.

The centrifugal force developed by the rapid rotation of theshe'll armed with my improved fuse causes the wings to separate, and the tensioned force of the spring/causes the hammer to move forward a distance sufiicicnt for its reduced end to enter between the wings and hold them separated, so as to allow the hammer to be projected against the cap upon impact. By providing the hammer with the corrugations or grooves the air is prevented I from cushioning at either end thereof, for when the hammer is forced to its set-back position the air instantly passes to the front,

the front of the hammer to the rear thereof,

- normally locking said and Rice versa, not being dependent upon the number of corrugations or grooves.

1n the modified form shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the outer surface of the hammer is formed with a plurality of planes preferably eight in number, forming an octagon-shape hammer in cross-section, and when seated in its chamber a plurality of air-channels 1', in communication with the front and rear ends of the hammer-chamber, are formed.

In Fig. 6 a plurality of air-channels s are shown passing longitudinally through the hammer, and in Figs. 7 and 8 a plurality of air-channels are formed by grooves t, made in the inner wall of the hammer-chamber.

When the severai parts are assembled together, as shown in Fig. 1, it will be seen that the hammer cannot possibly come in contact with the cap until the wings are acted upon bycenti-ifugal action, and the wings are so constructed and arranged as to at'all times when in closed position cover or partially cover the detonating-cap, so that should the' said cap by any means become loosened in its seat it would be prevented from falling out .and becoming accidentally exploded.

chamber, and a removable cap-carrying plug secured in the openend, of a pair of wings or jaws pivoted on the face of the cap-carrying plug, means normally holding the wings or jaws in closed position, and additional means wings or jaws in said closed position.

2. In a shell-fuse, the combination with a chambered stock, a hammer seated therein,.

and a removable capwarrying plug, of a pair of wings or, jaws pivoted on the face of the cap-carrying plug, means normally holding the wings or jaws in eiosed positiom and additional means normally locking said wings or jaws in said closed position.

In a shell-fuse, the combination with chambered stock, a spring-pressed hammer seated therein, and a removable cap-carrying plug, of a pair of wings or jaws interposed between the cap-carrying plug-and the hammer, means normally holding the wings or jaws in closed position, and additional means normally holding said wings orj'aws in said closed position.

4. In a shell-fuse the combination'with a chambered stock, a hammer seated therein, and aremovable cap-carrying plug; of a pair of wings or jaws interposed between the capcar-rying plug and the hammer, means normally holding said wings or jaws in closed position, and a temporary connection between the wings or jaws andthe hammer, whereby said wings or jaws are normally held in said locked position. I

5. In a shell-fuse, the combination with a chambered stock, a hammer seated therein, and a removable cap-carrying plug, of a pair of wings or jaws interposed betwecnthe capcarrying plug and the hammer, means normally holding said wings or-jaws in closed position, and Locking-segments on the wings or jaws and a groove in the end of the harm mer, whereby said wings or jaws and said hammer are normally locked in said closed position.

6. In a shell-fuse, the combination with a chambered stock, a spring-pressed hammer seated therein, and a removable cap-carrying plug, of a pair of wings or jaws interposed between the cap-carrying plug and the hammer, means ,normally holding said wings or jaws in closed position, and locking-segments on the wings or jaws and a groove in the face end of the hammer,'whereby said wings or jaws and said hammer are normally locked in said closed position.

7. In a shell-fuse, the combination with the ing-chamber, a hammer seated intheohammer-chamber, a cap-carrying plug removably secured in the priming-chamber, a pair of wings or jaws pivoted on the face'of the cap-- carrying plug, means normally holding the wings or jaws in closed position, and additional means normally locking said wings or jaws in said closed position, of means preventing the aircushioning at either end of the hammer.

8:. In a shell-fuse, the combination with a chambered stock, a hammer provided with longitudinal air-channels, and a cap carrying plug, of wings or jaws interposed between the cap-carrying plug and the hammer, means nor"- mally holding the wings orjaws in closed position, and additional means normally locking said wings or jaws in said closed position.

9. In a shell-fuse, the combination with a chambered stock, a hammer provided with longitudinal air-channelsfiand a cap-carrying plug, of wings or jaws interposed between the cap-carrying plug and the hammer, means nogmally holding the wings or jaws in closed position, a connection between the wings or aws and said hammer, whereby said wings or jaws are normally locked in saidiclosed position.

10 normally holding the wings o'r jaws in closed position, and a locking-segment on said wings or jaws and a groove in the face end of the hammer, whereby the wings or jaws and said hammer are normally locked together.

r In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in I 5 the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES P. WATSON.

Witnesses:

T. M. JOHNSON, E. F. CAVER'LY. 

